Shashi Tharoor’s plan to summon Facebook before House panel over hate speech report stirs row

(This story originally appeared in on Aug 18, 2020)

NEW DELHI: With the political row over allegations that Facebook failed to act against BJP handles despite violations of code of conduct, attention is focused on the parliamentary standing committee on information technology, whose next meeting is scheduled for September 1-2.On Sunday, committee chairman Shashi Tharoor had said the panel would like to hear from Facebook about the WSJ report and what the social media giant proposed to do about hate speech in the country. Tharoor also said the committee would, “in the normal course, consider testimony under the topic ‘safeguarding citizens’ rights and prevention of misuse of social/online news media platforms’”.His comments fuelled a row with BJP MP Nishikant Dubey alleging that the chairman of the committee did not have the authority to act without discussing the agenda with members of the panel. Shortly after, TOI also learnt that all BJP MPs on the committee would write to Speaker Om Birla to complain about Tharoor making the claim that Facebook would be summoned, without consulting other MPs first.TMC MP Mahua Moitra, however, jumped to Tharoor’s defence and said, “Am IT committee member – agenda item was already agreed and bulletinised with the Speaker’s approval at the beginning of the year. When to schedule each item and who to call is chairman’s prerogative Amazing how BJP jumps up and down at anything to do with FB’s interests.”Later in the day, Tharoor took umbrage to Dubey’s tweet and said he would “take it up”. “You are absolutely right Mahua Moitra and by imputing motives to my decision, Nishikant Dubey has brought the committee’s work into disrepute, a matter I will take up. Extraordinary that an MP would suggest that a matter of such great public interest should not be taken up by us,” Tharoor said on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Facebook on Monday acknowledged there was “more to do” on prohibiting hate speech and it was “making progress on enforcement and conducting regular audits of our process to ensure fairness and accuracy”. “We prohibit hate speech and content that incites violence and we enforce these policies globally without regard to anyone’s political position or party affiliation. While we know there is more to do, we’re making progress on enforcement and conduct regular audits of our process to ensure fairness and accuracy,” a Facebook spokesperson said.